Clutch control mechanism



Aug. 18, 19 31. w. -M.- HORN CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM,-

Filed Feb. 20, 1930,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 18, 1931 7' w mnvrmqno r, or DE ROIT; MICHIGAN, Assroruort To Henson E. 'nonenno'nr &

1 rtAnnconrounmroujor NEW Your; a. Y.,'- A CORPOB-ATIGN or DELA ARE CLUTCH oonrnon MECHANISM? 1 v -App1ication1filed February 20, 1930. Serial Ne.430,i313. 1

' This invention relates to the control for the clutch associated withthe propelling motor of a motor-boat orspeed boat, especially of v thetype wherein the propelling motor is locatedastern of the 'drivers seat. w

-. Inexist'ng construct'ons, the control is of such a nature that the operator cannot always maintain (a position observing his course ahead and the parts obstruct thefloor or cook pit infront of the drivers seat. Realizing these ;drawbacks,.it is the prime aim of the present invention toprovide a construction or :controlhaving operating means in the line of vision, while observing the course ahead and which permits such connection to be made with the clutch that the spacebetween the toe board and drivers seat will be unobstructed so as to'materially add to the comfort of the driver and passengers and as well enable more ready maneuvering of the craft.

A further object is to provide a novel construction wherein oppositely movable rods are mounted out of obstructing relation for rectilinear travel and are connected by a relativelyllarge upstanding lever located forwardly ofthetoe board. 7

A further aim is to provide the handle rod of such a nature that it passes through the instrument board and terminates in and is operable from a zone relatively close thereto and I is'constantly observable while viewing the course straight ahead.

Various additional objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following, taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings Fig.1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken through a speed boat equipped with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of theparts of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the I g i v i p readily graspedby the operator. Thus the line III-J11 of Fig. 1;

line IV-IV of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line adds to safety 1n; operat on.

V-V of Fig. 1. p Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 designates a conventional motor or speed atrans'ver'se rock shaft QO which has a depending crank 21 keyed thereto and located boat. The propelling motor forsuchboat is carriedthereby. at 11 and extendingtherefrom isthe housing 12 which contains the clutch'adapted to occupy a position in neutral oripositions to cause the motor to propel the vessel forwardly or. reversely, The

drivers seat is shown at 13 within a cockpit the frame of the boat, support the'floor15,

the seat 13 and the motor 11,

The clutch withincasing 121s controlled by exteriorly thereof. A link orconnecting rod '22 ispivoted at 28 to, said crank 21. andis locatedcbetween thebottom of the vessel and p the; lioor 15." At the. forward end, said rod 22 is pivoted at 24 to an upstanding lever 25 or sills 19.

axis .much closer to the bottom thanlto the top thereof so that slight to operate the clutch.

The operating rod or handle for the is shown at28 and is disposedin parallelismto the. rod. 22 and, adapted to move, substantially rectilinearly with the latter but in an opposite directiomthe operating-rod being pivotedasat 29 tothe upper end ofsaid lever 25. .It willbe noted'th'atthe said operating.

an I

.which, inturn is pivoted on a horizontal shaft 26in bearings 271 fastened to .the beams power will suflice rod 28 passes through openings 30 and 31 p provided in theinstrument board 18 and dash 17 respectively, the openings being'of such size as to provide the requisite clearance for such operation. At the free; end. of the -operating rod 28, it is equipped-with a kno'b: 32 which is locatedqrelativelyclose to the instrument board and'in a position to be operation of such rod "do'esnot requirefthe.

operator to bendforwardly orremove his" eyes from the.- course ahead, which greatly V lever.

in Fig. 1. Such rod is adapted to be pushed forward to the dotted line position indicated at 33 which correspondingly moves the connected parts so as to shift the clutch into a position where the operation of the motor will cause forward propulsion of the boat. Such operating rod 28 is also adapted to be pulled rearward into the dot-dashline position 84', which correspondingly moves the connected parts so that the clutch engages the motor to connect the propeller for reverse driving or propulsion of the boat. I

As a result of the invention, it will be seen that the entire-space of the cockpit forwardly of the seat, between the sides of the boat and below the instrument board, is unobstructed so that the driver may more 'dexterously maneuver-the boat and especially operate a means substantially in the line of vision and while maintaining his body and head normally erect, namely the rod 28, to shift the clutch. At the same time, the more accessible knob 32 is adapted to be pushed forward or pulled rearward to control the direction of propulsion with minimum effort.

Variouschanges may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. ,7 v I I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a boat' hull having an engine compartment and a drivers compartment forward thereof, the drivers compartment having a floor spaced from said boat hull, a toe board and dashc'losing the forward end of said drivers compartment, steering mechanism extending into said pivot means for said lever carried by said beams, means positioned beneath the floor of said compartment and extending longitudinally of said hull for connecting the lower end of said lever to the clutch mechanism of said engine, andmeans for pivotally connecting said longitudinally movable rod tothe upper end of said lever.

3. In combination with, a boathull having an engine compartment and a drivers compartment having a floor locatedadjacent the bow of said hull, a pair of longitudinally extending beams beneath said drivers compartment forming'a support for the floor thereof, means for closing the forward end of said compartment, comprising a toe board and a dash, steering mechanisin extending within said compartment, a clutch operating rod having one end supported adjacent said steering mechanism and the opposite end extendingthrough-said dash, a lever movable in the direction of lengthof the said hull and pivotal-1y mounted within the bow of saidhull' forward of said'dash, means for operatively connectingsaidoperating rod to one end of said lever, a reach rod pivotally connected to the lower end of said lever; said reach rod passing rearwardly beneath the floor of said compartment, and meansfor operatively connecting said reach rod-to the clutch mechanism of said engine.

.:In testimony whereof I a-flix my signature.

WILLIAM :HORN;

driv'ers compartment, a longitudinally movable rod extending through said dash adja-.

cent the upper edge thereof, means for supporting the re'arwardly extending portion of sa1d rod ad acent said steeringmechanism,

lever mechanism positioned forward of said dash, said last named mechanism comprising a pivot member, a lever mounted thereon, ,7 means extending rearwardly beneath the floor of said drivers compartment for connecting the lower end of said lever to. the clutch of said engine, and means for operatively connecting the forward end of said longitudinally movable rod to the upperendof said 2. In combination with a'boat hull having spaced longitudinally extending beams, an

engine supported by said beams, a comparti I ment forward of saidengine having the floor thereof supported by said beams, a toe board and dash forming a closure for the forward end of said compartment, steering jmechanism extending through. said forward closure into saidcompartment, a longitudinally movable operating rod extendingrearwardly through said dash adjacent the upper portion thereof, means for supporting said rod adjacent the steering mechanism, a lever positioned forward of said compartment, 

